Swing and Shunt Muscles

Swing and Shunt Muscles

• Muscles can be described as being

swing  or shunt muscles.

• When a muscle acts on a bone it

actually produces a force that,
could be resolved into
two component forces.

1. Angular component and

2. A transarticular component.
• The angular component is actually the perpendicular or
vertical component of the muscle's force.

• We normally call this the rotary component.

• If allowed to act alone this force would cause the bone to

rotate around the joint.

• The rotary component is also known as a swing component.

• The trans articular component is a parallel or horizontal
component.

• It acts along the shaft of the bone and may produce a force that
pulls the bone away from the joint or toward it, depending on the
angle of the joint.

• This component, therefore, is also known as either

a stabilizing component or a destabilizing component.

• When the component is stabilizing it is also known as

a shunt component.

• Shunt muscles are muscles that tend to pull the bones of a joint
together.
• During elbow flexion, the angular component, the one that makes
the radius move around the elbow joint, is the swing component.

• The brachioradialis is an example of a shunt muscle, which is able

to provide a compressive force.

• Whereas biceps acts as swing muscle which is providing rotational

movement.

• This is important because a shunt muscle may protect a joint from

powerful distracting or compressive forces during certain
movements. 

• A shunt muscle could be considered a stabilizer muscle as it help

to stabilize a joint during movement.
The Brachioradialis Muscle can act as a shunt
muscle due to its position.
• A certain muscle may exert a stronger spurt or shunt force.

• If the swing force is stronger it is called a swing muscle.

• If the shunt force is stronger it is called a shunt muscle.

• Which happens depends on the location of the muscle and

whether the distal or proximal attachment is free to move.
• Generally, the distance of the origin and insertion of a
muscle to the joint axis of rotation determines whether a
muscle acts as a swing or shunt muscle.

• When the distance of the insertion is greater than the

distance of the origin, the muscle is considered a shunt
muscle.

• when the origin is farther from the joint axis than

insertion, the muscle is a swing muscle.
Swing muscles
Thank you…